Guest post on Conversations Across Borders

My experience of writing for the Conversations Across Borders Project as a guest post on the CAB blog.

You imagine a cathedral and feel like you ended up with a shack on paper. That is how Zadie Smith feels about every bit of writing she has done. Generally that is what I feel like to. But, here I want to tell you about an experience where I imagined a bubbling brook and ended up with the Pacific Ocean. I exaggerate a little – but will claim artistic license here;)

When I decided to take on the conversations across borders project, I was excited, yet a little apprehensive as I was not sure how working with another author would pan out to be. Also, I have issues with self esteem as a writer (as most do and the ones who don't - I actually don't like you), and I was convinced my partner would balk at my efforts. But I sailed forward with the 'water' prompt, I dove in, I was ready to cause a splash - all right, will stop with the puns and get on with the story.

I was paired with Kaitlin, a very decorated writer from New England who was working a lot in China. We both spoke a fair bit on how to approach the project. Let me take a step back and explain the project- well there isn't very much to explain. You are paired and then you decide what to write, how to write and well, a free handle on the whole thing.

Kaitlin and I entered the project at crucial times in both our lives - we were both in the midst of receiving proofs and having to deal with manuscripts and the whole rigmarole, than any writer can understand. It was hell and heaven in the same breath. I don't know how our loved ones put up with us in times like this.

We were a little slow on the uptake, but once we dove into it, magic happened. Kaitlin started with a short tale and when I read it, I took a step back, to realize I was working with a genius. I had a five-minute battle within myself on how to approach it all, but I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, poised my hands over the keyboard and wrote - yes, with eyes closed. The character came, the character was born, told his tale, and left.

The page was of course fraught with typos, but it was a new experience for me - letting myself go and asking the character to speak and I was not to be distracted by anything else not even the words on the page but simply be a medium.

Kaitlin and I sent the file back and forth between us and found that we were echoing each others experiences - characters were developing. People were showing up on our pages. I don't want to give away too much of the story at this point, you can wait to read it once it is up on the CAB website.

I am very excited about being paired with Kaitlin again for the next prompt - 'Air'. Who knows who will come to the page and have his or her story told? Wish us luck! And thank you CAB for organizing this!